FAME: A low-cost traceability tool for small-scale fishers and their vessels that provides additional safety and communication benefits to the user.

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and traceability technology is primarily deployed on larger fishing vessels (30 Gross Tons (GT) and up) as an enforcement and monitoring tool. Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprises, Inc. (FAME), a private company based in the Philippines, has developed small-scale vessel trackers and monitors that also serve as communication devices, enabling small-scale fishers to participate in electronic Catch Documentation Traceability (eCDT) and establishing increased communication and safety at-sea. Together, in 2018, USAID Oceans and FAME deployed small-scale vessel transponders in the program learning site of General Santos City, Philippines.

Small-scale fishers in General Santos City, Philippines enjoy at-sea safety benefits, while capturing traceability data instantly at the point of catch.

How it Works:

FAME makes use of radio frequency to send and receive information, and its gateways receive the information from transponders and sends to the cloud. Telemetry data can be sent up to 50 km offshore and can be further extended via mesh technology between the transponders, as once the vessel/device is out of range, but within range of another vessel equipped with a FAME transponder, the data can still be sent to a gateway. Personal communication, together with telemetry data can be sent through the FAME transponders.

FAME also provides a dashboard through a web and mobile browser-based application, allowing users to see details of each transponder and other related data in near real-time, anywhere. The dashboard allows users to draw geofencing areas for remote areas or areas to prioritize, as well as generate custom reports with integrated graphs. FAME users can receive notifications (alerts) both to fishers at-sea and users on-shore. Fishermen can use their mobile phones with USB On-The-Go (OTG) or Bluetooth to send and receive messages without mobile phone tower connectivity. Their platform is fully customizable and has been modified to incorporate USAID Oceans required Key Data Elements (KDEs).